"We beseech the spirit of earth for the sake of these our best works to grant us beautiful and fertile fields, to the believer as well as to the unbeliever, to him who has riches as well as to him who has no possessions." FROM THE AVESTA. PART I. "O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the first place where the Earth feels most happy?" Ahura Mazda, the Good Principle, answered: "It is the place whereon one of the faithful steps forward, O Zoroaster, with the holy wood in his hand,[1] the baresma in his hand,[2] the holy meat in his hand,[3] the holy mortar in his hand,[4] fulfilling the law with love, and beseeching aloud Mithra.[5]" "O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the second place where the Earth feels most happy?" Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place whereon one of the faithful erects a house with a priest therein, with cattle, with a wife, with children, and good herds within; and wherein afterwards the cattle go on thriving, holiness is thriving, fodder is thriving, the dog is thriving, the wife is thriving, the child is thriving, the fire is thriving, and every blessing of life is thriving." "O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the third place where the Earth feels most happy?" Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place where one of the faithful cultivates most corn, grass and fruit, O Zoroaster! where he waters ground that is too dry, and dries ground that is too wet." "O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the fourth place where the Earth feels most happy?" Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place where there is most increase of flocks and herds." "O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the first place where the Earth feels sorest grief?" Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the neck of Arezura,[6] whereon the hosts of fiends rush forth to the burrow of the Drug.[7]" "O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the second place where the Earth feels sorest grief?" Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place where most corpses of dogs and of men lie buried." "O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the fifth place where the Earth feels sorest grief?" Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place whereon the wife and children of the faithful, O Zoroaster, are driven along the way of captivity, the dry, the dusty way, and lift up a voice of wailing." "O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the first that rejoices the Earth with greatest joy?" Ahura Mazda answered: "It is he who digs out of it most corpses of dogs and men." FOOTNOTES: [1] Food for the altar fire. [2] Sacred twigs held by the priest while reciting prayers. [3] Meat for sacrifice. [4] Used for crushing the Haoma, an intoxicating plant, whose juice is used by the faithful. [5] God of good fields and pastures.